MENOPAUSE
Did you know that a weak bladder is one of the symptoms of menopause? Find out the connection between menopause and bladder control problems like urinary incontinence. More importantly, learn what you can do now to reduce your risk of experiencing these symptoms and how to stay protected if you experience bladder leaks.
Are you going through “The Change?” Menopause can mean a whole new world! Hot flashes, new weight in new places, mood swings and more. It’s a lot to take in! One big difference you may be experiencing is a sensitive or overactive bladder. You’re not alone! Urinary incontinence is a really common issue for women going through menopause.
We know that no matter how common it may be, overactive bladder issues are still embarrassing and hard to live with. They can wreak havoc on your romantic life, your exercise routine and make fun times like a day trip with your girlfriends almost impossible.
Instead, educate yourself about why you may be experiencing bladder leaks and how it’s connected to your menopause symptoms.
Having a strong urge to urinate or experiencing bladder leaks during menopause are typically symptomatic of one of two different types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence and urge incontinence.
Stress incontinence is the result of a weakened pelvic floor – the system of muscles, ligaments, and tissue that support your bladder and uterus. Once weakened, pressure – or stress – put on the pelvic floor by everyday activities like laughing, sneezing, coughing or exercising leads to a little bladder leak. As women, we may go through lots of experiences during life that impact our bladder muscles, such as pregnancy, childbirth, hormonal changes or gaining weight.
Urge incontinence is a result of muscle or nerve damage in the bladder tissue caused by past pelvic surgery, such as a C-section, or a neurological disease, such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s. As a result, the bladder muscles involuntarily spasm, creating frequent intense and sudden urges to urinate that send you running to the bathroom.
Whether you have stress incontinence or urge incontinence, it's important to know that there are ways to manage and treat incontinence. What you don’t want to do is ignore the problem, as it rarely goes away on its own and may even get worse over time.
Are you experiencing these common signs of a menopausal sensitive bladder?
Here are some of the reasons why you may be experiencing urinary incontinence during menopause:
Use these common treatment options to protect yourself against the symptoms of urinary incontinence during menopause:
Exercises
A great first step is strengthening your pelvic floor muscles with kegel exercises. Strengthening your pelvic floor will help you increase control over little urine leaks. Try your best to stay around your normal healthy weight. Excess pounds put pressure on your pelvic floor and can cause your bladder to leak when you laugh, sneeze or cough.
Hydrate
Be sure to stay hydrated. Not only will this help guard against urinary tract infections, but it will keep your urine from becoming too concentrated and acidic.
Diet
Other urinary incontinence remedies include adopting a bladder-friendly diet by avoiding foods like caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, citrus and carbonated beverages, as they make your urine more acidic, which can further aggravate an already sensitive-bladder.
Make a schedule
Visiting the toilet on a fixed schedule can bring some predictability as well as ease your urge to urinate. Start out going to the bathroom every two hours, whether or not you feel the urge to go and adapt from there.
Talk to your doctor
Will trying these management methods work? That depends on the cause of your incontinence. That’s why it’s so important to start talking to your doctor early. He or she can help with a diagnosis and additional treatment options if you need them, such as bladder training or surgeries to treat prolapse and other underlying conditions that contribute to your sensitive bladder.
To feel confident and fresh even as bladder leaks happen, try one of these recommended incontinence products. They offer amazing move–all–you–want sensitive bladder protection.
Whatever course you take, remember one thing: many women face bladder control issues at this stage in life. But with the right treatment plan and leakage protection, you don’t have to let it get in the way of life, love and a great time!
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